The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-31
FILIBUsTER WALKER.
Louisville Mans Recoilections of An ILL.,
starred Expedition.


Louisville Courier-Journal
A tall man, middle aged, gray whiskered.
with countenance smbrowned by the sun, and
his left arm gone. walked into the CourlerJ our
nal Office last evening and called for the man
who had written the item stating that the sur
vivors of Walkers Nicaraguan expedition would
meet in Louisville during the coming autumn.
"When read the article" said he. Il was
anxious TO procurs more extended Information.
Ny name is Capt. Mac Pitman, of New Orleans.
and am of the firve survivors OF the original
one hundred who followed General Walker into
Nicaragua. am a contractor on the Gulf %
Ship Island railway, hut recently acc-
dentaly poisoned and came near dying. l was
compelled to stop work IN order to regain my
strength came to Louisville for my health,
and | am stopping at No. $40 West Main
street"
'You say that there are five survivors of
Walkers original band. Do You know who are
the other four2"
II know them all, and will give you their
names and place Of residence. First, there
DR.. Coleman, who lives in San Francisco l do
not remember his first name. He is q practie-
ing physician there. and man of some wealth
believe. The second is Frank Anderson. who
also lives in San Francisco He is rather prom
lnent IN sporting matters there. Then there Is
Billy williamson who was formerly chief OF
police in Mobile. He still lives in that city, and
is we'll known in Louisville, as he comes here at
almost every race meet The fourth is George
Leonard who was. when last heard of him,
conductor on the Third-avenue Elevated railroad
in New York city
'.You say. Captain, that you were member
of tho first party which followed General
Walker his flibustering expedition into
Nicaragua
YES, I was with him when he captured
Grenada. but / first want to correct some
errors which all the encyclopedias make in their
accounts OF that celebrated expedition. General
Walker left San Francisco in July, 1856, for
Nicaragua, taking with him ffty-two men. in
stead of sixty-two, stated In tho published
reports | left San Francisco in Septembe
two months later. but Joined Walker before he
had penetrated into Nicaragua. The party
with which went swelled his little one to
actly one hundred mon.
IT was only boy them" resumed Captain
Pittman. continuing his "reminiscences. "and the
spirit of adventure induced me to take part in
General Walkers wild and foolhardy enterprise.
Although call it foolhardyI it was nevertheless
carried out with remarkable skill and bravery.
General Walker won several battles, and IN
doubtedly obtained complete possession of
Nicaragua"
How did he lose his foothold in the coun-
try2"
He attempted to invade Costa RIGA, and that
led to his downfall One of his men betrayed
him. He sent Colonel Schlessnger, German
officer. into Costa Rica to enter into negotiations
with the government of that country. Schles
singer betrayed and delivered number of
men into the hands of Costa Ricans. Thirty
two of them were executed in cold blood at
Santa Rosa"
when and under what circumstances did you
lose your arm, Captain
THAT was at the battle Of Rivas April IL,
1856. In that encounter fought the allied
army of Costa Ricans. Honduranans, Gustema-
Ians and disaffected Nicaraguans. Our army
consisted of only 476 Americans and $50 native
Nicaraguans. We lost $50 men, and killed 1900
on the other side. The contest draw.
My shot off in charging battery"
What rank did you hold in Walkers army?'
II was first-lieutenant. I at one time,
however. sentenced to death by Walker for in
subordination, but managed to get out of it.
/ would never have been executed anyhow. as
the other officers would not have upheld Walker
in the matter. After Walker lost control of
Nicaragua contrived to get safely out of the
country"
''Were you with Walker his last ex-
petition, when he court martialed AID
shot?"
II was not, and here wish to correct another
error which appears in the histories. They
state that Walker gave himself to an Amer
lean cruiser and shot by order OF the Amer
lean officers. On the contrary, he was captured
bv the Honduranian government, and shot I'M
der commands emanating from it. The Hon
duranian authorities asked him if he were a
subject of Great Britain, and when he replied in
the negative, they asked him if he owed his allie
glance to the United Stotes. He said: No.
am an adopted son of Nicaragua, and [ owe al
,zSxiance to other country When he gave
that reply he led and shot"